Floor laying tool

ABSTRACT

A tool for installing tongue and groove flooring, such as laminate flooring planks, over a floor underlayment. The tool includes a pair of identical blocks. Each block has opposing first and second planar surfaces that are parallel to each other, a bottom edge, first and second end edges substantially perpendicular to the bottom edge, and an angled top edge. The bottom edge contains two longitudinal grooves, each groove being parallel to the adjacent planar surface. The grooves are of a size and shape adapted to receive the tongue of the tongue and groove flooring to be installed. Holes pass through the block for receiving removable fasteners which are secured to the floor underlayment during use. The process of using the tool includes placing glue into the groove of a new flooring plank to be installed. The tongues of the two adjacent, already installed planks to which the new plank is to be joined are inserted into the glued groove of the new plank. A first block is placed adjacent the new plank with the tongue of the new plank inserted into the adjacent groove located in the bottom edge of the first block. A second block is placed adjacent the first block with the angled top edges of the two blocks in contact with each other and the end edges of the two blocks being substantially in alignment. Removable fasteners, such as nails, are inserted into the holes of the second block and secured to the floor underlayment. The larger end edge of the first block is then tapped to wedge the first block tightly against the new panel. After the glue has set, the first block is removed by tapping against the smaller end edge until the first block no longer engages the second block. The second block is then removed by removing the removable fasteners from the floor underlayment.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 60/265,484, filed Jan. 30, 2001.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to a floor laying tool. More particularlythe invention is a floor laying tool for use with laminated flooringplanks.

[0003] Laminated flooring planks, sometimes called “Swedish laminates”,commonly have a width of about eight inches, a length of about four feetand a thickness of about 0.25 inch. Such planks have a woodgrain patternprinted on their upper surface. Each plank has a tongue extending fromone longitudinal edge and a groove formed in the other longitudinaledge, the tongue of one plank being adapted to fit into the groove of anadjacent plank.

[0004] During installation of a new row of planks to the “bottom” of analready installed row of planks, glue is injected into the groove of thenew flooring plank to be laid and the tongue of the already laid plankinserted into the groove. Although the tongue of the already laid plankcan be inserted tightly into the groove of the new plank, the glue,during drying, tends to push the new plank away from the already laidplank.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a tool forassuring a tight fit between laminate flooring planks duringinstallation.

[0006] The tool of the present invention is a block used in pairs, eachblock having a pair of opposed, parallel planar surfaces, a bottom edge,end edges perpendicular to the bottom edge, one of the end edges beingshorter than the other, and an angular upper edge extending between theend edges.

[0007] A pair of parallel, longitudinal grooves extend from one end edgeto the other. The grooves are spaced from their respective adjacentplanar face the same distance as the tongue of a flooring plank isspaced from its adjacent planar faces, and each groove has a width anddepth adapted to receive the tongue of a flooring plank.

[0008] At least two holes extend through each block from one planar faceto the other, the holes being of a size adapted to receive a fasteningmember, such as a nail.

[0009] The process of using the floor laying tool of the presentinvention includes placing glue into the groove of a new flooring plankto be installed. The ends of the new flooring plank is offset from theabutting ends of two already laid planks to which the new plank is to beattached. The tongues of the two adjacent, already installed planks areinserted into the glued groove of the new plank.

[0010] A first block is placed adjacent the new plank with the tongue ofthe new plank inserted into the adjacent groove located in the bottomedge of the first block.

[0011] A second block is placed adjacent the first block with the angledtop edges of the two blocks in contact with each other and the end edgesof the two blocks being substantially in alignment. Removable fasteners,such as nails, are inserted into the holes of the second block andsecured to the floor underlayment.

[0012] The larger end edge of the first block is then tapped to wedgethe first block tightly against the new plank and the new plank tightlywedged against the adjacent two already laid planks. After the glue hasset, the first block is removed by tapping against its smaller end edgeuntil the first block no longer engages the second block. The secondblock is then removed by removing the removable fasteners from the floorunderlayment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013]FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a single block of the tool of thepresent invention;

[0014]FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the bottom edge of a single blockof the tool of the present invention;

[0015]FIG. 3 is a top plan view of two blocks in position adjacent a newflooring plank to be laid prior to the new flooring plank being fullypushed into position against an already laid plank;

[0016]FIG. 4 is a top plan view of two blocks shown in the positionafter the top block has been tapped into full engagement with the newflooring plank being laid; and

[0017]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] A single block 10 of the floor laying tool of the presentinvention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Block 10 has opposing planarsurfaces 12 and 13, ends 14 and 15, a bottom edge 16, and a top edge 17.End 14 is shorter than end 15, thereby causing top edge 17 to be angled,as shown.

[0019] A pair of parallel longitudinal grooves 18 is formed in thebottom edge 16, each groove 18 having a width and depth substantiallythe same as the tongue of a laminate flooring plank, and adapted tofully engage the tongue thereof. The distance between the centerline ofeach groove and the respective adjacent planar surface 12 or 13 is thesame as the distance between the centerline of the tongue of a laminateflooring plank and the bottom planar surface of the plank. Each groove18 has the same width and depth as the other groove 18, and thecenterline of each groove 18 is the same distance from adjacent planarsurface 12 or 13.

[0020] Two grooves 18 are used so that one of the two grooves willalways be in alignment with the tongue of the laminate flooring plankbeing installed regardless of which planar surface 12 or 13 is incontact with the flooring underlayment over which the planks are beinginstalled.

[0021] Holes 19 pass completely through block 10 substantiallyperpendicular to planar surfaces 12 and 13. At least two holes 19 mustbe present, and two holes are preferred. However, more than two holesmay be used.

[0022] The operation of the laminate floor laying tool of the presentinvention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0023] The first several rows, usually three, of laminate flooringplanks are installed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.The bottom row of planks, i.e., the row to which the next row will beattached, will have their longitudinal tongue edge exposed.

[0024] A new plank 20 to be laid has a longitudinal groove 21 adapted toreceive the tongue of the already laid bottom plank (not shown). Glue isinserted into groove 21 and plank 20 pushed in place against the alreadylaid plank so that its tongue enters groove 21.

[0025] Two blocks, 10 and 110, are then positioned into place as shownin FIG. 3. Block 110 is identical to block 10 described above, theidentical parts of block 110 having the same reference numbers as thoseof block 10 but increased by 100. Blocks 10 and 110 are positioned sothat bottom edges 16 and 116 containing grooves 18 and 118,respectively, face outward.

[0026] The tongue 22 of plank 20 is inserted fully into groove 118 ofblock 110. Block 10 is then placed adjacent block 110 with angled upperedge 17 of block 10 being in abutment with angled upper edge 117 ofblock 110, blocks 10 and 110 forming a rectangle with ends 14 and 115and ends 15 and 114 of blocks 10 and 110, respectively, being insubstantial alignment.

[0027] Removable fasteners, such as nails 30, are then placed into holes19 and driven into the subflooring with the tops of nail 30 leftextending above the planar surface 12 of block 10 a distance adapted toallow for easy withdrawal of the nails after completion of installationof plank 20. Preferably, double headed nails are used to insure easyremoval. Other types of removable fasteners, such as screws, may be usedinstead of nails.

[0028] A hammer is then used to tap end 115 of block 110 which slides tothe left (in the direction of the large arrow in FIG. 4) to the positionshown in FIG. 4. As block 110 is tapped to the left, angled surfaces 17and 117 causes block 110 to act as a wedge pushing upwardly againstlaminate plank 20 (in the direction of the small arrows in FIG. 4). Thiswedging action pushes the seams of the laminate planks together,creating a tight fit therebetween.

[0029] Blocks 10 and 110 are left in place a period of time which allowsthe glue to set, generally at least about five minutes.

[0030] Blocks 10 and 110 are removed by tapping end 114 of block 110,which causes block 110 to move to the right (as shown) and completelyout of contact with block 10. Nails 30 are then withdrawn from block 10,and blocks 10 and 110 are ready to be used again on another new plank tobe laid.

[0031] Blocks 10 and 110 may also be used on the ends of laminateflooring planks (which also have transverse tongues on one end thereof)to help hold the planks in place.

[0032] Although the floor laying tool of the present invention has beendescribed relative to laying laminate flooring planks that areelongated, the tool may also be used to lay parquet flooring, and usedto lay other types of flooring employing a tongue and groove assemblyarrangement, all of which types of flooring are intended to be includedwithin the definition of “planks”.

[0033] Blocks 10 and 110 may be made of any rigid material, such aswood, metal or plastic. A suitable plastic material is ultrahighmolecular weight polyethylene.

[0034] It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that manychanges may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments ofthis invention without departing from the underlying principles thereof.The scope of the present invention should, therefore, be determined onlyby the following claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A tool for installing tongue and grooveflooring planks on a floor underlayment, said planks having upper andlower planar surfaces, comprising: first and second identical blocks,each said block including: opposing first and second planar surfaces,said first and second planar surfaces being parallel to each other, abottom edge, first and second end edges substantially perpendicular tosaid bottom edge, the length of said first end edge being less than thelength of said second end edge, and an angled top edge extending betweensaid first and second end edges; first and second longitudinal groovesin said bottom edge adjacent said first and second planar surfaces,respectively, said first and second longitudinal grooves being parallelto said planar surfaces and to each other, each of said first and secondlongitudinal grooves having a width and depth adapted to fully andslidingly engage said tongue of said flooring plank, the centerline ofsaid first and second longitudinal grooves being spaced from itsrespective adjacent planar surface a distance substantially the same asthe distance between the centerline of said tongue and said lower planarsurface of said flooring plank; at least two holes passing through eachof said blocks; said first block adapted to be positioned adjacent aflooring plank to be installed with said tongue of said plank insertedinto one of said grooves in sliding engagement therewith, said secondblock adapted to be placed adjacent said first block with the angled topedge of said first block in contact with the angled top edge of saidsecond block and with the end edges of said first and second blocksbeing substantially in alignment, said holes in said second block beingadapted to receive a removable fastener for securing said second blockto said floor underlayment.
 2. A block adapted to be used with a secondidentical block for installing tongue and groove flooring planks on afloor underlayment, said planks having upper and lower planar surfaces,said block comprising: opposing first and second planar surfaces, saidfirst and second planar surfaces being parallel to each other, a bottomedge, first and second end edges substantially perpendicular to saidbottom edge, the length of said first end edge being less than thelength of said second end edge, and an angled top edge extending betweensaid first and second end edges; first and second longitudinal groovesin said bottom edge adjacent said first and second planar surfaces,respectively, said first and second longitudinal grooves being parallelto said planar surfaces and to each other, each of said first and secondlongitudinal grooves having a width and depth adapted to fully andslidingly engage said tongue of said flooring plank, the centerline ofsaid first and second longitudinal grooves being spaced from itsrespective adjacent planar surface a distance substantially the same asthe distance between the centerline of said tongue and said lower planarsurface of said flooring plank; and at least two holes passing througheach of said blocks and adapted to receive a removable fastener.
 3. Inthe process of installing over a floor underlayment a new row of tongueand groove flooring planks to the bottom row of tongue and grooveflooring planks already installed upon said floor underlayment, saidplanks in said bottom row having a tongue extending from the outerlongitudinal edge thereof, inserting glue into the groove of the newplank to be installed, inserting the tongues of the adjacent alreadyinstalled planks into the groove of the new plank, and permitting theglue to set, the improvement comprising: placing the bottom edge of afirst block of claim 2 adjacent said tongue of one of said new planksand inserting said tongue into the adjacent longitudinal groove in saidbottom edge of said first block; placing a second block of claim 2adjacent said first block with the angled top edge of said first blockin contact with the angled top edge of said second block and with saidend edges of said first and second locks being substantially inalignment; securing said second block to said floor underlayment bypassing removable fasteners through said holes in said second block andsecuring said removable fasteners to said floor underlayment; causingsaid second end edge of said first block to be moved in a directiontowards said second end edge of said second block a distance adapted toforce said groove of said new plank into tight engagement with thetongues of adjacent already laid planks; leaving said first and secondblocks in position for a time sufficient to allow said glue to set;causing the first edge of said first block to be moved in a directiontowards said first edge of said second block until said first block nolonger tightly engages said new plank; and removing the removablefasteners holding said second block to said floor underlayment.